berkeley half marathon – Kelli Nickole

Race Review: 2017 Berkeley Half Marathon

November 29, 2017December 19, 2018Posted in Recaps & ReviewsTagged berkeley, berkeley half marathon, half marathon, race reviewLeave a comment

What: Berkeley Half Marathon
When: November 19, 2017
Where: Berkeley, CA
Distance: Half marathon

Bib Pickup

Runners were given the option to either pick up bibs in person or pay a small fee to receive bibs in the mail. I chose to go to the expo but would definitely recommend paying for the mail option in the future. Don’t get me wrong, I love going to race expos but the stress of dealing with parking was not worth it. The expo was at the Berkeley Sports Basement where there is unfortunately little to no parking. I drove around the blocks a few times and eventually waited in the parking lot for about 10-15 minutes until someone left.

Pre-Race/Parking

Parking was easier than bib pickup was but make sure to get there early. Berkeley High School charged $20 for parking (yikes!) but hey, you get to park right next to the start line. It was a cold morning but perfect weather for a run. The porta potties were plentiful, the corrals were well-organized and the race started on time – couldn’t have asked for a better race start!

The Race

There were definitely more hills than I planned for, hence my soreness. The good thing was that with every uphill, there was a pretty significant downhill that followed. My legs hate me for going hard on the downhills but I wouldn’t have made the PR if I hadn’t. Other than the hills, the course was cool and you get to experience all of Berkeley.

Post-Race

Earned my race medal AND my challenge medal for running both the San Francisco Marathon and the Berkeley Half Marathon. BLING BLING! I have to say the medals were definitely worth it. I skipped most of the other post-race stuff to cheer on friends instead but definitely made sure to grab my post-race beer!

Pro tip: Berkeley also has a ton of great restaurants so make sure to do your research before hand.

Training Tips for Your First Half Marathon

October 5, 2017October 6, 2017Posted in Running & TrainingTagged berkeley half marathon, fitness, half marathon, half marathon training, Running & Training, trainingLeave a comment

Many of my friends have asked me for advice in training for their first half marathon and I could not be happier and more excited to share my thoughts!

The first question to ask – do you have a goal race? If so, when is it? How much are you currently running?

It is so important to make sure that you give yourself enough time to train and prepare for your first race. This will ensure that you are prepared and confident when you get to the start line.
Take a look at these training plans from Hal Higdon for some help!

Planning your race and training schedule can sometimes be overwhelming, but it helps to make it fun! I look at my training log almost daily and write down notes about my run to keep me motivated.

Other training tips

Practice proper nutrition and hydration, you will need it to run 13.1 miles.
Visit your local running store and make sure you are wearing good shoes for running. This is one that many first time runners overlook because any exercise shoe can be used for running, right? Wrong.
Listen to your body to avoid running through pain and thus potentially injuring yourself further.
Don’t worry about time! If you have a goal time then that is fantastic, otherwise I would not suggest stressing out over your first race.
There will be times that you may feel like quitting but remember why you started.
Running is a mental sport and can be different for everyone. Test out different training methods and see what works best for you!
Overall rule: trust the process and have fun!

What are some of your best half marathon training tips?

Stay tuned for race day tips!

5 Reasons to Sign Up for The Berkeley Half Marathon

September 29, 2017September 29, 2017Posted in Running & TrainingTagged berkeley, berkeley half marathon, fitness, half marathon, race, race discount, Running & Training2 Comments

Maybe you have never heard of it. Maybe you never venture out to Berkeley, CA. Or maybe you just need some extra words of encouragement to register. Whatever the reason, here are my top 5 reasons why you should register for The Berkeley Half Marathon today (or the 10k and 5k).

Run Berkeley – I don’t know about you but I have never run through Berkeley. A race is my favorite way to run through the best parts of a city. As the race site says, “experience iconic Telegraph Avenue, vibrant Shattuck Avenue, serene North Berkeley streets, the picturesque waterfront, and more in this loop course“.
Explore Berkeley – I don’t make the trip up to Berkeley often but when I do, it is usually either for food or a football game. So why not take the opportunity to get to run and eat? Most people know Berkeley as home to the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement in the 1960s, but what they may not know is that it is also home to some amazing restaurants. I highly recommend taking a look on Yelp or Trip Advisor’s Berkeley 2017: Best of Berkeley to make the most of your trip.
A Distance for Everyone – Make this your first half marathon or maybe even your 50th half marathon. Maybe you don’t even feel like running a half marathon – try out the 10k! Bring your family, friends and coworkers to join you. You can even form a team and compete in the Team Challenge.
The SF/Berkeley Challenge – I ran The San Francisco Marathon in July so by running The Berkeley Half, I will complete The SF/Berkeley Challenge and earn a third medal! If you ran TSFM, definitely sign up for this race and complete the challenge. If you didn’t run TSFM this year, don’t worry! You can run The Berkeley Half in November and still earn the challenge medal when you run TSFM next July. Find more details here.
Discount Code – Yup, that’s right. You can get $10 OFF using the discount code: KELLI for the half or 10k events and $5 OFF with discount code: KELLI5K. So what are you waiting for? Sign up and run with us in November!

Hope to see you all out there on the course!